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How do you backup your files?

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Carol Haynes:
I have just tried this with a CD-RW backup and differential backups seem to work fine. You just need to insert the last disk in the backup set before running the application, otherwise it does a full backup. I presume it would work in a similar way with DVD-RW formats.

I looked in the help file and you can also use DVD-R and CD-R formats, the only difference being that Rollback is turned off.

nosh:
I was planning to start a new thread discussing various backup configs in light of mouser's PSU blowout but I'll just bump this one along.

I use various tools depending on the nature of data to be backed up.

Most of my data (movies, mp3s, downloaded apps, digicam photos & other graphics) gets mirrored from one physical HDD to another using the excellent "Second Copy" - these mirror jobs are set to run once a day. Every once in a while I back most of this stuff up on DVDs

For data that needs to be backed up just once in a while like my Firefox profiles or Alarm data I use Genie backup manager - it also lets me backup specific registry keys along with files so I can make very precise backups for individual programs.

Mission critical files:
For stuff that I just can't afford to lose like source code, word/excel files or financial data I use DriveHQ.com's excellent wwwbackup client.
The drawbacks are
a) It lets me backup 1GB max with a free account (which is more than sufficient for my purposes)
b) It gives a nag on startup urging me to upgrade.
Some of the plus points:
 - It allows versioning and is capable of realtime monitoring & backup
 - It has web-based access too (with optional encryption besides the normal logon security) so I can securely access my files from another PC.
 - It allows file sharing
 - Most importantly, it has good connectivity and uploads don't get stuck halfway like they do with AOL's sucky online backup service. This service works and works well - highly recommended.

If you're using a really good backup app/service for local or online backups please share.

superboyac:
Hi nosh, nice input.  I had never heard of Second Copy.  I haven't tried too many of these applications, but zridling's favorite program for this is DirSync.  I tried it and it is very customizable, and zridling claims that it is very "accurate" (I think he's referring to the copied files not being corrupted or anything).

I'm actually in the process of completing a blog that will be posted here about my backup methods.  It seems to be similar to yours, minus the online stuff.

Armando:
On my internal HD, I have 2 main partitions (I have more, but they're not important in this demonstration :) ): one for Window, one for my documents.

I have 3 external hardrives. One (320gb) HD stays home, another one (80gb) stays with me -- they both contain the same files, but I do keep some more crap on the 320 gb : movies, audio files I don't care losing). Once every 2 weeks, I exchange the smaller 80gb portable drive with another identical one kept at my friends' place for extra security. So... TOtal : 3 external HDs, but only two that I have with me every day.


Here's approximately (I'm leaving some details) what I do :

Everyday :
1- I use SyncbackSE (might replace it with the faster Super Flexible File synchronizer in a few months) for full synchronization of my personnal files (not the OS) on two external hard drives.


2- I use SyncbackSE to make incremental backups on the two external hard drives. (So, if something weird happens with a specific file, and it's corrupted on the full "sync backup", I can always go back in time and pick the good one.)


Once every two weeks or month (depending on how many modifications, configuration changes, I make) :

3- I use Acronis True Image to backup my Windows partition. (It's been VERY usefull)

I usually try to keep as many versions as possible on the 320gb HD, but only 1 or 2 on the smaller ones. I keep track of what these images contain, etc.


Voilà. All this takes a bit of time to configure, etc., but it has now become a 2nd nature, and doesn't take much more that a few minutes/day (the backup itself takes about 15min : this will vary, depending on file size, etc.). At first, I had trouble to "safely remove hardware" before unplugging my HDs, and I "lost" quite a bit of time when I was still experimenting with different backup style, naming protocol, etc.... But now, everything goes quite fast.

PS: I also have a thumb drive on which I make quick incremental backups (SyncBackSE) when I'm on the move with my laptop (so, if I drop the beast...).

superboyac:
On my internal HD, I have 2 main partitions (I have more, but they're not important in this demonstration :) ): one for Window, one for my documents.

I have 3 external hardrives. One (320gb) HD stays home, another one (80gb) stays with me -- they both contain the same files, but I do keep some more crap on the 320 gb : movies, audio files I don't care losing). Once every 2 weeks, I exchange the smaller 80gb portable drive with another identical one kept at my friends' place for extra security. So... TOtal : 3 external HDs, but only two that I have with me every day.
-Armando (April 24, 2007, 11:12 AM)
--- End quote ---

Oh crap!  You're doing the same thing I'm doing, pretty much.  I'm writing this huge blog on this thing right now, but it's almost exactly what you just described above!  You're stealing my thunder!

Just kidding, I'm glad for your input.  I think backing up like this with a lot of redundancy and different physical locations is very important for computer users.

PS  I tried Syncback SE and DirSync, and I liked DIrSync better, and so does zridling.

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